298 THE VARIOUS ACCOUNTS, [N°. 122.] 
brown spots behind the shoulders; the head pointed like that of 
a porpoise. It had large glossy eyes; the shoulder was much darker 
than the rest of the body, which was the thickest part of it, (say 
twenty feet in diameter), from thence diminishing to the tail, to 
about the size of our mainyard in the slings (say twenty-four inches 
diameter). He took a turn round, and we afterwards saw him astern, 
and he went away in aS. E. by S. direction, at about thirty mi- 
les an hour.” — Melbourne Daily News, Juli, 1. — (“A corres- 
pondent, who sends us the above, adds that he believes this to 
be the first time the sea-serpent is stated to have been seen so 
far south).” 
Evidently the animal remained under water for a long time, 
and struck the vessel in coming to the surface. Seen from very 
near the colour evidently did not seem dark brown, but of a 
lighter hue. The absence of visible fins, the pointed tail, the 
brown spotted skin (no scales are mentioned, so it must have been 
smooth), the pointed head, the appearance of shoulders, the large 
eyes, its astonishing rapidity in swimming, all these statements 
characterize the sea-serpent. Alarmed at its having struck the ves- 
sel, off it went! Evidently Captain Epwarps did not see the tip 
of the tail, which is rather pomted; he described, it is clear, 
what he took for the end of it, the extreme end being under 
water. No latitude is given in this report, but we may conclude 
that the appearance took place more towards the south than Mel- 
bourne is situated. This town is situated at about 38° S. lat., so 
the appearance may have taken place between 40° and 45° 8. lat., 
and of course between 110° and 145° W. longitude, in the com- 
mon track of vessels. 
123. — 1849, September 15.— (Illustrated London News for 
1850, January 12). — Extract from a letter, dated “H. M. 8. Cleo- 
patra, Singapore, Oct. 26, 1849”, from an officer of that ship: — 
“Sept. 15. This evening they reported the Sea-Serpent: several of 
the men, as well as the officer of the forecastle, saw the monster; 
and they all ran aft to see it from the stern: they say it was 
about thirty feet long. After the report, all hands came to deck; © 
but the evening was fast drawing to a close, and the ship going 
at eight knots, soon left the monster astern, going through the 
water very quickly to the N. W.” — (From a Correspondent.) 
